Paul Mara was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning seventh in the 1997 NHL entry draft.
Born in Belmont, Massachusetts; Paul Mara represented his country several times at the World Junior Hockey Championships. Mara played for the United States in the 1996-1997, 1997-1998, and 1998-1999 World Junior Hockey Championships.
Paul Mara played hockey at Bellmont Hill High School in Massachusetts. In his second year at age 15, Mara scored 38 points in 28 games. After two years of high school hockey, Paul decided to go north and play for the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League. Paul would later admit that it was the best decision of his life to go play in the OHL.
During his second season playing for the Sudbury Wolves, Mara was part of a 3-team trade with the Windsor SpitFires that saw him head to the Plymouth Whalers on December 16, 1997. Mara spent a final year in the OHL before being drafted by the Lightning During Paul Mara’s 3-year OHL career he averaged around one point per game as a defenseman.
After two years of splitting his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Lightning’s affiliate, the Detroit Vipers of the International Hockey League, Mara finally seemed to have cemented a place in the NHL before being traded to the Phoenix Coyotes.
Paul Mara became a reliable defenseman for the Coyotes and would go on to spend 5 NHL seasons with the club. During the 2006 offseason, Mara was traded to the Bruins for defenseman Nick Boynton. After 59 games in a Bruins jersey, Mara was sent to the Rangers and spent the next 3 seasons there before signing with Montreal.
After a disappointing season with the Canadiens (partly due to injury), Mara signed with the Anaheim Ducks for a 1-year contract worth $750,000. Mara would later find her way back into the Canadiens organization before the 2010-2011 trade deadline.
Paul Mara is a great body defender. He doesn’t necessarily have a special talent, but he is a solid and reliable defender. You will usually find Paul Mara in the third defensive matchup. Mara does a good job of using his tall, strong body to push players off the pucks, but he’s slow and has trouble keeping up. Mara plays well when he gets physically involved and simplifies his game. Mara has a decent shot from the spot and was once a power play specialist in Phoenix.
Mara is not afraid to drop the gloves and will stand up for her teammates. He is a great communicator and a team player.
Paul’s older brother, Rob Mara, was drafted by the BlackHawks in 1994, so hockey runs in Mara’s blood.
Paul Mara sports one of the bushiest beards you have ever seen.
